Last week the Charlotte Observer published an interview in which Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers said he had resolved the major scandal following his acquisition of Progress Energy by personally negotiating the settlement with NC Utilities Commission Chairman Ed Finley. Today NC WARN called on state Attorney General Roy Cooper to investigate that negotiation, which we believe was an unlawful communication that led to a multi-billion dollar miscarriage of justice against North Carolina’s electricity customers.
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Duke-Progress Merger Contested in NC Court of Appeals – News Release from NC WARN
Today NC WARN filed notice with the NC Court of Appeals that it is challenging the NC Utilities Commission’s approval of the merger between Duke Energy and Progress Energy, which created the largest US electric utility.
24 Groups: NRC Rushing Nuclear “Waste Confidence” Process, Not Satisfying Court-Ordered Requirements – News Release
In documents filed Wednesday with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), a wide range of national and grassroots environmental groups said it would be impossible for the NRC to adequately conduct a court-ordered assessment of the environmental implications of long-term storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel in the two short years the federal agency envisions for the process.
Nuclear construction project in free fall; Duke at risk too – News Release from NC WARN
The first US nuclear plant being built in a generation tumbles further into a perfect storm of cost overruns, delays, corporate bungling and an uncertain future, as documented last week by a career nuclear engineer monitoring the project for Georgia regulators.
NC Regulators Sold-out the Public in Duke Merger Settlement – News Release from NC WARN
Today’s announced settlement between Duke Energy and state regulators is a sell-out of the public that was conducted behind closed doors. As signaled earlier, NC WARN will fight the merger in court – with a very strong legal case – and we’re counting on Attorney General Roy Cooper to also stand up for the public. The utilities regulators sure aren’t protecting the public interest.
Smoking gun in Duke merger scandal found by NC WARN – News Release from NC WARN
An April memo from ousted CEO Bill Johnson appears to confirm long-running concerns by a watchdog group that Duke Energy hid vital information from regulators in several states prior to the July closing of the utility’s controversial takeover of Progress Energy.
Reject Duke-Progress political pay-offs, watchdogs tell regulators – News Release from NC WARN
NC WARN calls out Progress Energy for charging political pay-offs to customers via an accounting fiction. Millions to influence politicians should be rejected in rate case, says watchdog group.
Did Progress include $100s of millions in improper annual expenses in today’s rate hike request – as parent Duke Energy did in 2009 and 2011? – News Release from NC WARN
NC WARN will be watching to see if Progress Energy tries to slip in $100s of millions in improper annual expenses – as its parent corporation Duke Energy did in its past two rate cases.
Duke’s Report on Costly Repair of Florida Nuclear Plant Reinforces NC WARN’s Call to Reopen Merger Hearings – News Release from NC WARN
Tuesday’s revelation that repair of the broken Crystal River nuclear plant will cost up to $3.4 billion – far higher than Progress Energy had claimed during its merger with Duke Energy – comes as little surprise. The riveting question now for the NC Utilities Commission is: Did Duke know this before the merger closed on July 2, but withhold it because its impacts on NC ratepayers could derail the merger?
See Zapata Engineering’s review summary
Has Duke Energy Been Cheating on Rate Hikes? – News Release from NC WARN
Controversial rate hikes by Duke Energy Carolinas in 2009 and 2011 revealed a pattern of activity apparently designed to overcharge North Carolina electricity customers millions of dollars annually, energy watchdog group NC WARN said today. The group said Duke is either deliberately attempting to gouge ratepayers or suffers gross incompetence across its legal and accounting departments. It urged Attorney General Roy Cooper to take action.
See NC WARN’s letter to Attorney General Cooper and Public Staff’s Robert Gruber